He abolished the foreign altars and the high places, broke the pillars, cut down the sacred poles,

3

and urged Judah to seek Yahweh, God of their ancestors, and to observe the law and commandment.

4

Because he abolished the high places and incense altars through the towns of Judah, the kingdom under him was undisturbed.

5

He rebuilt the fortified towns of Judah, since the country was at peace and free of war during those years, because Yahweh had granted him peace.

6

'Let us rebuild these towns,' he told Judah, 'let us surround them with wall and tower, with gate and bar while the country is still ours, for we have sought Yahweh our God and he has sought us and given us peace all around.' They built and prospered.

7

Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men of Judah armed with shields and spears and two hundred and eighty thousand men of Benjamin armed with shields and bows, all of them outstanding soldiers.

8

Zerah the Cushite took the field against them with an army a million strong and three hundred chariots, and penetrated to Mareshah.

9

Asa took the field against him and the battle-lines were drawn up in the Valley of Zephathah, at Mareshah.

10

Asa then called on Yahweh his God and said, 'Yahweh, numbers and strength make no difference to you when you give your help. Help us, Yahweh our God, for, relying on you, we are confronting this horde in your name. Yahweh, you are our God. Human strength cannot prevail against you!'

11

Yahweh routed the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled,

12

and Asa pursued them with his army as far as Gerar. So many of the Cushites fell that they were unable to survive. They were cut to pieces by Yahweh and his army. They carried off a great deal of booty,

13

they destroyed all the towns round Gerar—for a panic from Yahweh had seized the towns—and plundered all the towns since they were full of loot.

14

They also routed the cattle-owners and carried off great numbers of sheep and camels; then they returned to Jerusalem.